Thawing Frozen Meat.

Gisborne Times, Volume VI, Issue 165, 24 July 1901, Page 1

Thawing Frozen Meat.

The waterproof bag, presented by Mr A. H. Chapman, of Kurow, to be used in the thawing of frozen meat, does not appear to have been a success when tried in London. The anticipations of a golden future for Australasian frozen meat, say the C.C. and D. Company, in their mail circular of June 7th, by the discovery in New Zealand of a process by which it could be made undistinguishable from fresh Homekilled, and of equal selling value, have been shattered by experiments recently carried out by instructions of Messrs Dalgety and Co. A number of waterproof bags were made, according to satliple sent from New Zealand, at a cost of 13s 6d each for sheep, and 32s for beef, and carcases of Canterbury mutton put in them as directed by the New Zealand discoverer. At the same time other carcases wore put in Hessian bags, and a third lot were left in the calico wrappers in which they came Home. The treatment of all three parcels was identical, with the result that when removed from the bags the carcases in the waterproof were soft, wet, flabby, discolored, and badly stained on legs and other parts, in experts’ opinion were depreciated fully Jd per lb. The carcases in the ordinary wrappers were in far better condition, they were soft and, to some extent, stained and discolored, while those in the Hessian bags were in capital order. These trials bear out tho conclusions arrived at by Home users, that the Hessian bag, outside the calico wrapper meets all requirements, especially for country deliveries, the meat is kept clean and is really defrosted, when in transit, reaching the consumer in good condition and fit for immediate use, and further demonstrate the unsuitability of the waterproof bag, which, in addition to its prohibitive cost, has now, as in previous tests, proved a failure.